


Brace 4/5

by thebasement_archivist



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Angst, Drama, Fiction, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-09-14
Updated: 2002-09-14
Packaged: 2018-11-20 11:43:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11335002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebasement_archivist/pseuds/thebasement_archivist
Summary: Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived atThe Basement, which moved to the AO3 to ensure the stories are always available and so that authors may have complete control of their own works. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onThe Basement's collection profile.





	Brace 4/5

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Basement](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Basement), which moved to the AO3 to ensure the stories are always available and so that authors may have complete control of their own works. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Basement's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thebasement/profile).

Brace 4/5

## Brace 4/5

#### by Tess

BRACE (Part 4) by Tess  
Disclaimer: They don't belong to me; I just like to make them suffer. Rating: NC-17  
Key words: Mulder/Skinner/Other,   
Spoilers: None  
Feedback:   
Archive: Feel free to archive anywhere - just let me know where. Summary: After his encounter with Skinner the night before, Mulder struggles to hide his feelings from Scully, whilst at the same time Skinner struggles to understand his feelings for Mulder. Warning: Contains graphic scenes of consensual and violent nonconsensual m/m sex. 

As he warily approached Skinner's office the following afternoon, Mulder stopped and leaned in towards the door. He could hear raised voices from within and it sounded very much like Skinner and Scully were arguing. The Assistant Director's secretary raised her eyebrows at him and nodded towards the room on the other side of the door. 

'They've been at it like that for quite some time,' she informed him frostily. 'You're rather late.' 

'Yeah, I know,' he replied ruefully. He could see that she was staring curiously at the colourful bruising on his face and he felt himself begin to blush. 'I couldn't help it,' he shrugged. 'Traffic, y'know?' He leaned closer to the door, his ear almost touching the heavy oak, his eyebrows raised as he began to decipher the muffled sounds of the commotion within. 

'It's a ridiculous idea!' he heard Scully exclaim angrily. 'Just what are you trying to do to him? He isn't ready to come back to work at all, and certainly not to a case like this!' 

'His expertise in the field will be very welcome,' he heard Skinner reply more calmly. 'And besides, I'm okay working this case, Agent Scully. I don't see why he shouldn't be.' 

'Sir, I know you've been through an ordeal too, but...' 

'But nothing. He's already agreed to do it. I just don't see what the problem is.' 

Mulder then heard footsteps stamping determinedly across the floor. He hurriedly stepped back but the door was suddenly yanked open and then he was eye to eye with a flushed-faced Scully. 

'Oh, hi,' he greeted her. 'Enjoy your holiday, Scully?' 

'Mulder!' 

He saw her eyes widen in shock as she stared up at his bruised face and swollen mouth, and he instinctively covered his face with his hand to mask his injuries. 

'What happened to you? Your face!' She prised his reluctant hand away and gently ran the pad of her thumb over his bruised and swollen lips. She then took his chin and tilted his head to the light, examining the bruising around his left eye and cheekbone. 

'Who did this to you?' 

Mulder brushed her off lightly. 'No-one. I-I fell out of bed.' She stared at him disbelievingly but he steadfastly avoided her gaze. She knew he was lying but she also knew better than to push him, being only too aware of his stubborn streak. She resolved to pursue the matter with him in private later. 

'You're late,' she hissed before glancing over her shoulder at Skinner. She could see the Assistant Director hovering beside his desk, unsure as to whether he should approach them or not. Turning back to Mulder she said quietly, 'When you didn't turn up I hoped you'd seen sense and had decided to give it a miss.' 

Mulder shook his head. 'No,' he mumbled, avoiding her eyes. 'I just got caught in traffic, that's all.' He thought it best not to mention the stomach cramps and diarrhoea he'd suffered throughout the early hours of the morning, or the fact that his stomach was now churning so badly at the thought of facing Assistant Director Skinner that he felt as though he were about to throw up. 

'Here at last, Mulder,' Skinner barked, once more firmly ensconced behind the safety barrier of his desk, aware that he was blushing furiously but unable to do anything about it. He hated it when the two of them went into one of their huddles. It always made him feel so excluded. 'Still better late than never,' he remarked, self-consciously shuffling the papers on his desk into piles. 

'Sorry.' Mulder's mumbled apology clearly wasn't sincere and Scully glanced sharply from one man to the other, although she could glean nothing from their matching closed expressions. 

'Come in and sit down, both of you,' Skinner urged, although his eyes never left the bundle of papers before him. Somehow he didn't dare look up, couldn't bear to see the accusations that were certain to be burning in Mulder's eyes. 'Agent Scully, please,' he continued. 'We can all talk about this together now that Agent Mulder's here. Perhaps he can reassure you about this assignment and rid you of any doubts you may have about either his safety or his ability to cope with the nature of the case.' 

Reluctantly Scully followed Mulder back into the room and returned to her former seat, scrutinising Mulder as he positioned himself gingerly in the chair beside her. He kept his eyes cast to the floor and his hands were clasped tightly in his lap, giving Scully the impression that he was trying to prevent them from shaking. 

Skinner stopped shuffling papers and on finally looking up was momentarily stunned by the extent of the reddish purple bruising on Mulder's face. He choked back a gasp and then stared, shocked by the damage a couple of slaps had wrought. He cleared his throat noisily in an attempt to regain his usual composure. He then went on after a pause, despite the fact that Mulder himself still didn't look up. 'Agent Mulder, I've been explaining to Agent Scully about the undercover duty I've been asked to staff and as I've already explained to you previously, the existing team on this particular case, myself included, believe that you'd be perfect to assist. I'd like you both to take some time to study the case files so that we can discuss the matter further at a later date, although we do need to move quite quickly in setting the placement up.' He threw two identical folders across the desk. Scully picked them both up and handed one to Mulder, who started to flick aimlessly through it. It was the same file Skinner had shown him before. 

Scully quickly scanned through the first three pages of the report and then turning to Mulder she said earnestly, 'I've already told Assistant Director Skinner that I believe the case to be totally unsuitable for you, Mulder. I strongly urge you to reconsider. These case notes only serve to confirm that in my opinion this assignment just isn't for you.' 

Mulder had rolled his copy of the file up into a tube and was sitting with his shoulders hunched forward, flicking at the edges of the bunched pages with his thumbnail. 'I want to do it though,' he told her quietly, without looking up. 

'Mulder...?' 

He looked her in the eye then, and she saw something surface briefly in his expression, a guarded shimmer in his eyes. What was it? Fear? Shame? Or something more sinister? Whatever it was she was briefly thrown by it. Frowning, she turned back to Skinner. 'I really must say again sir, that I feel your asking Agent Mulder to play such a pivotal role in this operation is entirely inappropriate. Obviously I don't mean to sound disrespectful, I simply have Mulder's best interests at heart and feel I must voice my opinions.' 

Skinner again felt his cheeks flush as he met Scully's forthright gaze. He looked reluctantly at Mulder, who had unravelled the file once more and was now studying it steadfastly. Skinner could see he was scrutinising the gory photographs of Stevie Woodward's corpse. He stared uncomfortably at the bruising on Mulder's face. How the hell could two slaps have done that much damage? He hadn't hit him that hard, had he? For God's sake, he looked as though he'd taken a real beating. 

And then it struck him. Something Mulder had said last night, something like, 'You don't know what's happened.' What had that been about? Had that creep hurt him? Skinner's stomach rolled at the very thought of it. Had Mulder already been assaulted then come home, only to be attacked again in his own apartment? For God's sake, he thought, what the hell was I thinking of? His heart thumped uncomfortably as he remembered how Mulder had trembled beneath him, the stuttering tremulous voice begging not to be hurt, pathetically pleading a lost cause in the darkness. 

'Sir?' 

Skinner blinked owlishly before jerking his eyes away from Mulder's face and back to Scully's. 

'Agent Scully?' 

'I said I don't think Agent Mulder should go anywhere near this assignment.' 

'If Agent Mulder really doesn't want to get involved in the case then I won't pressure him,' Skinner conceded. His eyes once more travelled guiltily back to the bruising on Mulder's face. 'It's his decision.' Except it isn't, he reminded himself. 

Mulder looked up and the eyes of the two men locked for the first time since the meeting had begun. It was Skinner who broke the deadlock first, turning his gaze down to his own copy of the file. 

'Mulder, please listen to me.' Scully's voice was anxious and her brow furrowed. 'You know I really don't think this is a good idea given your recent experiences.' 

Mulder looked up at her through his eyelashes. He was doing that 'little boy lost' thing with her again, Skinner thought, suddenly angry with them both despite himself. Does he still think he can twist everyone around his little finger? 

'Well?' he broke in briskly. 'Are you still going to accept the assignment? Because if not...' 

'Yes,' Mulder interrupted sharply, 'I'll do it.' 

Scully tutted and glared at them both in turn, angry that her opinions were being ignored. 'I hope you don't expect me to play any part in this investigation,' she repeated, pursing her lips. 'I think you're both being incredibly irresponsible.' She stood up and Mulder jumped up too. He followed her to the door, tossing his crumpled file on to his chair as he rushed after her. 

'I'll meet you in the office in a minute,' he said quietly. She raised concerned eyebrows but he smiled at her charmingly and gave her elbow a little push. 'Go on,' he encouraged. 'I won't be long.' With a puzzled look first at Mulder then Skinner, she sighed and left the room, closing the door firmly behind her. 

As he emerged from behind his desk, Skinner saw now that Mulder's relaxed charm had been an act solely for Scully's benefit. He quickly backed away as Skinner approached so that eventually he was pressed up against the door, poised for flight. His fist tightly gripped the handle and Skinner felt obliged to retreat a little. He leaned back on the edge of his desk, his arms folded defensively over his striped tie. 

'Are you okay, Mulder?' 

'Do I look okay?' Mulder questioned sullenly, gesturing to his bruised face. 

'No, actually you don't. I didn't realise I'd hit you so hard. I'm sorry.' 

'It wasn't just you. Sorry to disappoint you but someone else got to me first.' 

'I see.' 

'No you don't. You don't see at all.' 

'Actually I think I do. It was that man you left the club with, wasn't it? Did he hurt you?' 

Mulder laughed bitterly. 'As if you'd care. I bet you're glad, aren't you? Think I got what I deserve? You know, I ought to report you for what you did to me last night.' 

Skinner was immediately defensive. 'You could do, I suppose,' he snapped back. 'But how does it rate alongside what you did to me?' 

Mulder groaned in frustration. 'How many times do I have to tell you about that? It wasn't my fault. He made me do it. Why can't you understand that? He was going to kill you!' 

'Oh, let's get something straight here,' Skinner spat. 'You raped me, Mulder and then you panted like a dog when that bastard Brace fucked you. You let him fuck you over and over again, like some...some bitch in heat.' 

'But I had to do it. Can't you see that? I didn't want him to hurt you.' Tears were threatening to spill down Mulder's cheeks and he gulped at the air, trying to suppress his panic. 'You know, what you did to me last night was far worse than what I did to you.' 

'Yeah right. I'd love to know how the hell you make that one out.' 

'Yeah? Well I'll tell you why, shall I? It's because you had a choice.' 

Skinner stood and rubbed his good hand vigorously over his bald head. Despite his anger, his humiliation, his Godamn hurt, he could see that Mulder did have a point. 'Well, look, if it makes any difference, I do regret what I did,' he admitted gruffly. 'I don't know what got into me. I confess I was out of control. Does that make us quits now?' 

'If you say so.' 

'Look, I'm not the bad guy here, Mulder,' Skinner said lamely. 'Not really. Seeing you with that guy... well, I guess it made me angry, I don't really know why.' His words died as he struggled to explain his feelings. He didn't really understand them himself so how could he possibly convey them to another person? He frowned down at the floor, his emotions a sickening haze swirling about him, and when he found the courage to look up once more, Mulder had gone. 

* * *

Over the next few days, Scully tried a number of times to talk Mulder out of the assignment but was unable to convince him to drop the case. On the final day before he was due to start work at his undercover placement, she gave him one last warning. 

'I still think you're making a big mistake,' she told him seriously, sipping from her mug of steaming coffee as she sank down onto his sofa. 'You're not in any shape to get involved in a case like this, not physically and certainly not mentally.' 

'I'll be okay,' he insisted. 

She watched him take a bite from the bagel she'd brought him, pleased to see him eating. She noticed that the bruising around his mouth had faded somewhat, although there was still an angry red mark under one eye. 

'Your face has nearly healed up okay,' she remarked. 

She might as well have slapped him in the face. He stopped chewing, the bagel half way to his mouth and she watched as he dropped it, halfeaten, back onto the plate. 

'Scully, not that again,' he pleaded. He swallowed his mouthful of food with difficulty, then stood up and started clearing away. 'I told you, I-I fell out of bed.' 

'Whatever you say, Mulder.' She watched him as his face bloomed in shame. He looked down at her, aware that his cheeks were as red as fire. 

'Okay, Scully. If you really want the truth, I was mugged. It was no big deal, really.' 

'Yeah? So why couldn't you tell me that before? I'll tell you why, Mulder. Because it's just not the truth.' 

'It is,' he insisted. 'Partly.' 

'So which part?' 

'I was attacked.' 

'Who attacked you?' 

'It's really not that important.' 

'Oh, come off it Mulder. It must be important if you feel you have to lie about it.' 

He said nothing in response to her last comment, merely sat there chewing his lip, a frown creasing his troubled forehead. 

'Listen,' she began again, more gently this time. 'I know this may be hard for you to hear, but... well, sometimes the only coping strategy a victim of abuse may feel they have left is to confront their experiences by abusing others or by actively seeking further abuse themselves.' 

'My God, Scully,' he laughed uncomfortably. 'You sound like a medical text book! What the hell are you trying to say?' His voice was bright but she noticed a tiny tic flickering just under his left eye. It was a total giveaway. 

'Mulder, I'm being serious. I'm worried about you. I'll be honest, okay?' She took a deep breath. 'Skinner told me that whilst I was away he followed you to some club. That you picked up some guy in a gay bar and went to his motel room for sex. Is that true? Is that how you came to be attacked?' 

'I didn't go to any guy's motel room,' Mulder snapped. 'And what does it matter how I came to be attacked? What business is it of his anyway? Or of yours, for that matter.' He was furious now. How dare they discuss him behind his back? And Skinner of all people, telling tales! Well, he'd just better watch out, thought Mulder angrily. I could tell a few tales of my own. He jumped up and snatched the plates and glasses off the table then marched into the kitchen where he slammed them into the sink. Moments later Scully appeared in the doorway but he deliberately turned his back on her. 

'Don't be angry with me, Mulder,' she pleaded. 'I'm just worried about you, that's all. Skinner is too.' 

'Well don't be. I'm a big boy now.' At the mention of Skinner he began to slosh water furiously around the washing up bowl and suddenly there was a smash as a glass skidded out of his soapy grip, skittered over the counter top and clattered to the floor. 

'Here, let me help you,' Scully said, rushing forward. 

'It's okay, I can manage.' 

'Let me.' She stooped to pick up the largest fragments. 

'Leave it Scully, I can do it.' 

He squatted down and began to wipe up the glittering fragments with a wet dishcloth. Frustrated, Scully shook her head and stepped back. 

'Why won't you let me help you?' she demanded. 

'It's okay, I can manage. It's just a broken glass.' 

'I don't mean with the glass.' 

'I know exactly what you mean, Scully.' He stood up and ran the cloth under running water, wringing it and wringing it until his hands were red. 

She approached him carefully and laid a tentative hand on his arm. He didn't flinch away from her, but he didn't turn towards her either. 

'Mulder?' 

'I'm fine, Scully,' he insisted. 'Really I am.' 

'Mulder, about what Skinner said...' 

'What about it?' 

'You didn't really pick up some guy in a gay bar and go off with him to his motel room, did you?' 

'No, I told you,' he said fiercely. 'I didn't go to anybody's motel room.' But he was suddenly torn between denial and the need to tell her everything. He didn't know what to do but one thing he did know was that he didn't want to be fighting her off anymore. He dragged a chair out from the dining table, sat down and propped his elbows on the table, his fingers laced beneath his chin. 'What would you think of me if I told you I thought I was gay?' he blurted out suddenly. 

She frowned. 'Are you?' she countered, sitting down in the chair opposite. 'Is that what you're telling me?' 

Mulder nodded. 'Yes, I think so.' 

'I wouldn't have a problem with it, Mulder. I honestly wouldn't.' 

'Truly?' 

'Truly. But I'd have to say it would come as a bit of a surprise. I mean, I've known you a long time and you've never said anything before. There's never been any ... indication of it.' 

'No, I know.' 

'So why say something now? What's changed?' 

After a moment's hesitation he shrugged his shoulders. She could see his inner turmoil as he struggled to form an answer; it was etched deeply in the lines on his face. 

'Mulder, may I be frank with you?' 

He nodded and sat back in his chair. 'Please do,' he whispered, his voice husky with apprehension. She knew it had taken great courage for him to have broached this subject with her and she also noticed how he was watching her face intently, as if fearfully seeking the slightest hint of disapproval. In no way did she want to upset him, but she knew that if the conversation were to proceed she'd need to tread on dangerous ground. 

'I know you find this very difficult to talk about, Mulder,' she began, 'but regardless of whether you're actually gay or not I think you're still very much suffering from post-traumatic stress. This undercover assignment for Skinner is the last thing you need right now. It's only going drag up the past and cause you more anguish.' 

'But the way I feel has nothing to do with the assignment,' he protested. 'And anyway, it's not up for discussion. I'm doing it, and nothing you or anybody else can say will change my mind.' 

'I've realised that Mulder, but you can't blame me for trying.' She tried a smile, but he simply stared back at her. She could almost smell the anger bristling from his pores. 

'Look, please believe me,' she implored. 'If you are gay and you can happily accept the fact that you are, then I'll be really pleased for you. I really mean that. It would be wonderful if you could accept yourself and love yourself for who you are rather than who you think you should be.' She waited but he didn't move and he didn't say anything. Finding the tense silence that hung like a stifling curtain between them intensely uncomfortable she hurried on. 'But knowing you as I do I realise that that's a pretty tall order. You carry at least ten times the guilt of the average Catholic!' Again she smiled, but again he merely stared back at her. She found it extremely disconcerting and prayed that she was doing the right thing. 

'Okay, Mulder, I'm going to be really blunt now. I'm going to guess that all this has something to do with recent 'events'.' She deliberately avoided the use of Brace's name, fearing that he'd break down and her chance to help him would be gone, fluttering away on a wind of fear and retribution. 'Look,' she argued. 'Let's be realistic here. Discovering you enjoy anal sex doesn't necessarily mean you must be gay and it's important that you realise that. I know that that's something that's been bothering you since what happened but lots of men enjoy anal stimulation during sex, women too. In fact, the other day I was reading an article that claimed to prove the theory that...' 

Mulder groaned and hid his face in his hands. 'You're doing it again, Scully,' he warned, his voice muffled behind his hands. 

'Doing what?' 

'Talking like a text book.' 

'Am I?' 

He nodded, his face still hidden. 

'I'm sorry,' she continued, 'but all I'm trying to say is that you mustn't think that because you were forced to have sex with a man that he made you become gay. It doesn't work like that.' 

'I know.' Mulder dropped his hands from his face and clasped them together in his lap. His eyes met hers and the sorrow swirling in their troubled depths made her want to take him in her arms and sooth all that pain away. He started to speak but his voice was choked and she saw tears glistening in his eyes. 

'Look, it's okay,' she soothed. 'You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to.' 

'I know,' he repeated. 'But ... well, suddenly I feel like I know what I want to say.' He took a deep breath then hurried on. 'Scully, since what happened with - Brace...I seem to have developed this - this ... appetite. How can I explain it? It-It's like I have to keep re-living the whole thing over and over again, as if I need to be punished for what happened. No, don't interrupt me, just listen, please.' Obediently she closed her mouth. 'As for me being gay,' he went on, 'I'm pretty sure of it now. I think it's something I already knew about myself anyway, but it's been hiding, deep down inside of me somewhere. I know how mad it sounds but it's the only way I can think of to describe it.' 

Scully nodded thoughtfully. 'It doesn't sound at all mad,' she said slowly, 'but there are a couple of things that bother me.' She paused, thinking of how to put forward her ideas. She didn't want to hurt him in any way. He was hurting enough already. 

'Like what?' 

'Well, first of all this idea that you feel you need to be punished. You were the victim, Mulder, the innocent victim of a vile crime and in no way are you to blame for what happened.' 

But you don't know, he was screaming inside his head. You don't know about Skinner, what he made me do to Skinner. 

'And the second thing?' 

'Well, as I said before, Mulder, if you really are gay then I'll happily support you in any way I can, but I don't think you should use it as an excuse to be promiscuous. Apart from anything else it's downright dangerous. I mean, look at you, those bruises on your face...' 

Suddenly he was angry. 'For God's sake,' he flamed, 'because of what Skinner told you suddenly think I'm going around sleeping with every man I see!' 

'Well, aren't you?' 

'No, of course not. Look, okay, so I'm experimenting. Last week I met this guy in a club, he was up for it and so I thought why not? It wasn't my fault he turned rough.' 

'Well, that's exactly my point. If I were to give you any advice at all, it'd be stay safe. I mean, what would you think if I went off with a man I'd only just met for sex?' 

'It'd be your choice, wouldn't it? It's still a free country, y'know.' 

'Of course it is, Mulder, but if it was me, wouldn't you worry about my safety? What if this guy turned out to be some psycho who wanted to take me home and feed me to his dog? God knows we've met enough people like that in our time together. All I'm saying is, don't confuse being gay with being promiscuous. The majority of gay men aren't like that, Mulder. Gay men are people, just like any other people. Sure, some of them sleep around, the same way that some straight people sleep around but I'm sure most of them just want to be happy and loved, just like anyone else. Do you see what I mean?' 

He nodded glumly. 

'So what you said before, about developing an appetite, what did you mean exactly? For sex with other men?' 

Mulder squirmed a little uncomfortably but again he nodded. 'Yeah, I guess.' 

'With the guys you meet in clubs?' 

'Yeah.' 

'And all this started since you were ... assaulted?' 

'You can say it Scully. Since I was raped. Yeah, since then.' 

'Well, putting the, uh, the rape aside for a moment, and also your current behaviour, can you really see yourself entering into a full relationship with one of these men, a full-blown love affair for example? I mean, having sex with someone is one thing, Mulder. Loving and caring for them in a stable relationship is another thing entirely.' 

'I know that. I do know what you're saying. I know you can separate sex and love but love is something I've always struggled with. Come to think of it I've struggled with sex too. When I look back now I can see that sex with women never seemed right for me. There was always something missing, I just didn't know what it was at the time.' 

'So, are you saying that you don't find women sexually attractive any more?' 

'No, I guess what I'm saying is I don't think I ever really did. I think I thought I did. But you know as well as I do that I've never really had a decent lasting relationship with a woman. A sexual one I mean. I wasn't talking about our relationship.' 

'Don't worry Mulder,' she smiled. 'I knew what you meant.' This time he returned her smile and heart was gladdened. At last they were having a proper talk about things. He had visibly relaxed since the beginning of their conversation and she felt confident she could dig a little deeper without doing any damage. 'Has there ever been anyone with whom you felt you could have a loving, lasting relationship?' she asked gently. 'A man I mean.' 

He shook his head slowly and carefully. 'Not really. I thought there might have been once but there's no chance of that now.' 

'Why not?' 

He shook his head again. 'It's just not possible, believe me.' 

'Because he isn't gay?' 

'No. Well, yeah, but not just because of that. Oh God, why does it all have to be so complicated?' He rubbed his hands over his face, his dark stubble rasping. Scully could see that he was getting upset again now and that she'd overestimated his emotional strength; his eyes once more threatened tears and there were dark smudges like bruises beneath them. It was at that point she made up her mind. Enough was enough. 

'I'm glad you talked to me, Mulder,' she said quietly, reaching out across the table and taking his hand into her own. 'We'll talk again if you think it'll help, but right now you need some rest. You look exhausted.' 

'I am,' he agreed. 'But I do feel a bit better.' He smiled again and just for a second she caught a glimpse of the man he'd been before that fateful day when Brace had bounded into her apartment. 

'Good. I'm glad. But Mulder, this assignment. You know how I feel about it. Please think more carefully about whether or not you take it on. I sure if you contacted Skinner and told him...' 

He interrupted her quite sharply then and she was a little taken aback. 'I'm doing it, Scully,' he said with real feeling. 'That's something I am sure about.' 

'Okay, okay, but please - promise me one thing at least?' 

'What is it?' 

'That you'll be careful.' 

'I'll try, Scully.' 

'Promise?' 

'Promise.' 

* * *

On the evening of the fifth day of the undercover operation, Skinner received a phone call at home from one of the surveillance team members, requesting his urgent and immediate presence at the target site. He hurried into the rain-slashed town, cursing when he was unable to find a parking bay even at that late hour, and eventually he arrived both extremely irritated and soaking wet at the tiny surveillance room in the loft space above Joey's Gym. Although by day the place disguised itself as an executive gymnasium specialising in 'physiotherapy and stress relief' it was very much a thriving night-time business where no one actually used the sports facilities at all. 

'What is it?' Skinner demanded, shrugging off his raincoat, annoyed to have been called out on such a filthy night. 'Has there been contact with a suspect?' He glanced at the central surveillance monitor which showed a wide angled shot of Mulder sitting in an easy chair. He was holding a glass and was laughing with one of the club's personnel, a long-haired young man named Daniel. He looked more relaxed than Skinner had seen him in a long time. 

'Well,' smirked O'Connell, the agent who had called him, obviously enjoying the moment enough to insert a dramatic pause. 'There's certainly been contact all right, though not the kind you were hoping for, I'm sure. The show's actually over now, but we caught the whole thing on camera. Wanna see?' 

'Yes, of course.' 

O'Connell flicked a switch and after a brief splurge of snow, a clear picture of one of the 'private' rooms spluttered into view. Skinner stared hard at the image before his eyes. He was acutely aware of O'Connell's eager gaze burning into the side of his face, but he deliberately set his expression in stone, forcing his features into a cold mask which he knew would reveal nothing. Disappointedly O'Connell dragged his eyes away from Skinner and watched the flickering monitor instead. 

'I'll turn the volume up, shall I?' he offered. 

Skinner said nothing but continued to watch the monitor intently. The small screen showed a naked Mulder kneeling over a wide double bed whilst an older man, also naked, was curled over Mulder's back, pounding against him from behind. There was no mistaking the fact that they were having full sex. The embarrassingly clear soundtrack consisted of soft groans, sighs and cries from both men, and the slap-slap of flesh repeatedly hitting flesh. Skinner's stomach rolled sickeningly as he turned away, yet his face did not betray a single glimmer of emotion. 

'I think that's real good of Agent Mulder, don't you sir?' O'Connell sneered. 'To take his undercover responsibilities so seriously?' He smirked at Skinner again, but his face straightened as he saw his boss's mouth compress into a thin hard line. 'I thought you ought to see it, that's all,' he said sulkily. 

'Is that time correct?' Skinner demanded, gesturing to the rapidly spinning digits in the top right hand corner of the monitor's picture. 

'Yeah, this all happened almost an hour ago ago.' 

'And where's this room?' He rapped the other monitor sharply, the one which still showed Mulder drinking and chatting amiably to his dark companion. 

'It's the employees' lounge.' 

'Right!' With an angry flourish, Skinner wrenched the door open. 'We'll see what Agent Mulder has to say for himself.' 

'Sir,' O'Connell warned sharply. 'You can't go down there. You'll jeopardise the operation.' He glanced down at a printed sheet on the desk. 'According to this rota he's off shift in half an hour. You can speak to him then.' 

'Yes,' Skinner reluctantly agreed. 'You're right. But turn that damn thing off, for God's sake.' He pointed to the recording of Mulder and partner, which now seemed to be reaching its climax. He shook his head. 'I don't know how you cope with watching this kind of thing all night, I really don't.' He closed the door and sat down, watching uncomfortably as O'Connell stopped and removed the tape then proceeded to flick from one live camera to the next in strict rotation, checking the activities taking place in the various other rooms, as well as observing all the entrances and exits. 

At long last one of the monitors showed Mulder shrugging on his leather jacket and heading for the rear exit of the club. Skinner quickly slipped down the stairwell and into the street, where he saw Mulder loping off ahead of him, his new 'friend' by his side. As they approached the bar across the street, Skinner hurried his walk to catch them up. 

'Hey!' he barked. He ran up behind the two men and grabbed Mulder by the shoulder. 

Mulder jumped and turned round. 'Shit! You scared me,' he laughed nervously. But then he looked into Skinner's angry expression and his smile died. 'What do you want?' 

'I'd like a word with you please. In private.' 

'Okay.' Mulder sounded unsure. 

'You okay, Fox?' his companion asked, frowning doubtfully at Skinner. 'Do you know this guy?' 

'Yeah, sure. It's fine Daniel, really. Look, you go and get the drinks in. I'll join you in a minute, okay?' 

'Okay,' Daniel grinned. He glanced again at Skinner. 'You sure you're okay, Fox?' 

'I'm fine. See you in a minute.' Mulder waited until Daniel passed through the door into the thronging bar beyond before he turned to Skinner. 'What is it?' he hissed. 'What are you doing here? You'll ruin everything.' 

'Me ruin everything? I want to know what the hell you think you're playing at, Mulder,' Skinner hissed back angrily. 'You were on this case for a purpose, but it certainly wasn't for your own sluttish enjoyment! Well I'm taking you off the case as of right now, so you might as well go home. Do you really think I can justify your behaviour tonight to the board?' 

Mulder's eyes widened, shocked by both Skinner's words and his obvious anger. 

'What do you mean?' 

'Oh, come off it Mulder. I've just watched a tape of you and some guy, some 'client'. He spat the final word in Mulder's face, spraying him lightly with spittle. 

'Oh that. Well I had no choice.' Mulder's tone was defensive. He looked down, suddenly unable to meet the Assistant Director's blistering stare. 'The 'client' as you call him specifically requested me. I had to go along with it or I'd have blown my cover.' He blushed suddenly at his unfortunate choice of words. 'What difference does it make to you, anyway?' he muttered, turning away. 'At least I was a willing participant this time.' He stalked away into the club but Skinner followed him, grabbing his shoulder and roughly spinning him round, almost knocking him back through the open doorway. 

'Oh, like you weren't willing with Brace?' he taunted. 

At last Mulder met Skinner's eyes. 'Maybe I was, for some of it,' he admitted quietly, his chin jutting upwards defiantly. 'But not for what he made me do to you, and certainly not for what you did to me.' 

As Skinner looked into his subordinate's eyes, he recognised the painful mist wreathed there and guilt gave him a vicious kick to the heart. Frowning in confusion he reached out to place a comforting hand on Mulder's shoulder, but Mulder shrugged him off fiercely. 'Don't touch me,' he shouted, twisting away. Anxiously glancing past Mulder into the bar beyond, Skinner saw that they now both had an attentive audience, including Daniel, who, although they couldn't actually overhear what was being said, were nevertheless watching their exchange intently. 

'Calm down,' he warned, grabbing Mulder's wrist. 'Everybody's watching.' 

'I don't care,' Mulder retorted angrily, tugging at his arm in an attempt to free himself from Skinner's fierce grip. 'And neither did you a minute ago. Why don't you just get off me.' He was suddenly silenced as Skinner's face swooped towards him. Expecting a slap he flinched, but instead his mouth met with a rough kiss. He felt Skinner's hand at the small of his back, pulling him closer, and as the initial shock waned he found himself melting into the kiss. Skinner's eyes, he saw, were closed, and he closed his own eyes too, enjoying the feel of Skinner's silky hot tongue as it probed his mouth. A thrill ran up his spine as he realised that there was a hard bulge in Skinner's crotch where it pressed against him, and he pushed his own hips forward, reciprocating in an unconscious movement. 

When Skinner finally released him he was panting for breath. He gazed into his superior's face, totally bewildered. 

'Now you can tell them I'm your jealous lover,' Skinner growled tersely, jerking his head at the eager spectators before turning on his heel and marching out of the club without a backward glance. Mulder was left sagging against the wall, shocked, disorientated, but with the clear memory of Skinner's hardness pounding in his loins. 

'Hey man!' Mulder heard a voice call out to him, then a hand gripped his elbow, guiding him towards the bar. 

'What the hell was that all about?' Daniel inquired, pressing a glass into Mulder's trembling hand. 

'Oh, he's just a guy I used to work for,' Mulder explained, thinking quickly. He rolled his eyes, as if exasperated. 'He still thinks he owns me. He's the jealous type, y'know?' 

'Yeah, man, I got that all right!' his companion replied. He looked concerned. 'That the guy who gave you those bruises last week? When you first started at Joey's?' Mulder nodded truthfully and took a sip of his drink. The alcohol was pleasant and reassuring and he took a deep breath. He really needed to calm down. 

'Hey, you wanna tell him to piss the hell off,' Daniel continued. 'You shouldn't put up with that kind of shit from anyone you know.' 

Mulder laughed bitterly. 'Yeah, well, it's easier said than done sometimes, isn't it?' 

'All the same,' Daniel lectured. 'You shouldn't let anyone push you around like that.' He then proceeded to tell Mulder about the time his ex-pimp had pursued him across three states before he'd finally shaken him off his tail. Mulder suddenly realised that Daniel thought Skinner was his pimp! He started to laugh, thankfully feeling all the tension draining from his body. Daniel watched him in bright-eyed amusement. 

'Hey, now, that's better, my friend,' he grinned. 'Hey, y'know, we've worked pretty hard tonight, haven't we? How about we get a bottle of something strong and get drunk. I know I could sure do with it!' 

Mulder shrugged. 'Okay,' he agreed, still smiling. 'Why not?' 

* * *

After a couple of shots of bourbon Mulder seriously began to relax. The liquor burned a fiery path deep within him and the resultant warmth spread throughout his body, melting away the rest of the tension in his muscles and helping him to unwind. He found that Daniel made a sharp and witty companion and some of the things the young man said made him laugh in a way that he'd rarely had chance to in recent months. He was still unused to drinking so much alcohol at one sitting but he'd heard that people drank to forget and he certainly wanted to banish all thoughts of Skinner from his mind so what the hell?. The knots of confusion in his both head and heart hurt too damn much to try to unravel at the moment. Instead, he told himself, he would try to concentrate on the case. For Stevie. 

'Hey Fox,' Daniel muttered, suddenly elbowing him in the ribs and interrupting his thoughts. 'Look who's back.' 

As he turned from the shadowy recesses of their booth to see Skinner shrugging off the rain in the brightly lit entrance vestibule, Mulder experienced a strange blend of diverse emotions. In his dark and formal clothing the Assistant Director looked totally out of place in the relaxed atmosphere of the bar. It was obviously still raining heavily outside. There were dark patches on the shoulders of Skinner's coat and Mulder watched as the big man pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and proceeded to polish his lenses dry in his usual efficient manner. 

Still covertly watching him, Mulder lightly touched his fingertips to his mouth. The memory of that fierce kiss still hung there and the thought of how Skinner's erection had dug into his hip now reheated his own groin. He shook his head in disbelief. Had that really happened? The man looked so solid and dependable as he stood there meticulously removing every fleck of rain from his spectacles, so absurdly safe. Was this really the same man who'd assaulted him in his own apartment? The one who'd earlier thrilled him with that crushing kiss? 

As Mulder sat there, his senses dulled by tiredness and alcohol and confused emotions twisting infuriatingly out of his grasp, he felt a sudden yearning for the old predictable Skinner, the one who'd reliably yelled at him for going over-budget on his expenses account, or who questioned him incredulously when he submitted his case reports, but who nevertheless always made it clear to him that he cared about him and respected him. He didn't want this weird confusion of someone who despised and abused him one minute then passionately kissed him the next. 

'Cover for me, will you?' he suddenly pleaded with Daniel. 'Say you haven't seen me? I can't face him right now.' Daniel nodded and Mulder slid softly from his stool, melting into the murky depths of the bar's restroom area. 

'No, haven't seen him since about an hour ago,' Daniel drawled moments later, in response to Skinner's terse questioning. 'Said he was going to go on home.' 

Skinner shook his head impatiently. 'I've already been to his apartment,' he snapped. 'He isn't there.' 

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. 'Sorry then dude, can't help you. Hey, though, you wanna buy me a drink instead and the two of us can get to know each other a little better?' Daniel winked at him suggestively and almost laughed out loud as Skinner backed away. 

'No, actually, I wouldn't. But if you do see him,' Skinner requested with forced civility, 'would you please tell him that I was looking for him?' 

'Yeah, sure. Gotta kiss and make-up, huh handsome? Though I gotta tell ya, you should keep your hands to yourself in future. No more slapping the guy around, okay?' 

Again Skinner fought to contain his temper. 'What the hell are you talking about?' he demanded. His fists were suddenly tightly bunched at his sides. 

'Oh, you know what I mean, big guy. Just keep those meaty hands to yourself, yeah?' He then quite deliberately turned his back on Skinner, grinning into the bottom of his drink as he drained the glass. Skinner stood there for a moment, struggling silently for something else to say, then lost for words, he turned on his heel and swiftly marched back out into the dark, rain-swept night. 

When Mulder returned Daniel was intrigued. 'So what is it with you and the big guy?' he questioned. 'There's definitely something going on.' 

Mulder groaned and pulled a face. 'It's really not worth talking about,' he said, downing his shot of bourbon in one. 'Wow, this is good stuff!' 

But Daniel ignored him and continued excitedly. 'Well, I tell you what I think,' he grinned. 

'What's that then?' 

'I reckon this Skinner guy's one jealous son of a bitch.' 

'Eh?' Mulder looked at him incredulously. 'How'd you work that one out?' 

'Never mind pimping for ya,' Daniel said seriously, tapping his forehead knowingly. 'I think he wants you for himself. You've fucked each other in the past, right?' 

Mulder said nothing, only stared silently down into his empty glass. 

'You have, haven't you? I can tell!' 

Mulder shrugged. 'Kinda,' he conceded. 

'What do you mean, kinda?' 

'Well, we did have ... you know, sex. It was just the one time, but...' His voice trailed off and he chewed his thumbnail nervously, torn between the need to keep his terrible secret and the desperate yearning to offload its weight. 

'But what?' Daniel waited. He could see the pressure building within his new friend; Mulder's face was an agony of pain and long pent-up feelings. 

'Hey, c'mon,' Daniel coaxed gently. 'You can tell me. It won't go any further, that I can promise ya.' 

Mulder faced Daniel, his expression suddenly serious.' If I do tell you something,' he said earnestly, 'do you promise to keep it to yourself?' 

'Yeah sure. You can tell me anything.' He leaned in conspiratorially, so that their dark heads were almost touching.' 

Mulder took a deep breath. Oh what the hell? What difference would it make anyway? It might do him good to actually talk to somebody. Really talk. He thought guiltily of Scully, then pushed her right out of his mind. 

'Six months ago I was raped by this guy,' he began quickly. His eyes grew bright with tears but he blinked them back furiously. 'I just couldn't get over it, y'know?' He sighed deeply. 'It totally fucked me up. But then it got even worse. The guy, Brace his name was. Albert Brace. You ever heard of him?' 

Daniel shook his head. He poured another shot of bourbon into Mulder's glass and Mulder picked it up gratefully, nursing it as he spoke. 'Well, he got away with it at the time, but then he came back a few months later and he did the same to Skinner.' 

'That's the big guy, right? No shit!' 

Mulder nodded. 'But that's not all,' he went on. 'I was an FBI agent at the time. Well, technically I still am one I suppose, but I've been on sick leave forever and..' 

'The FBI?' Daniel interrupted. 'Really? Skinner too?' 

'Yeah, he's my boss.' 

Daniel raised his eyebrows. 'Wow, the FBI. What branch? I mean, like what department?' 

Mulder gave a lop-sided sheepish grin. 'Oh, you wouldn't believe me if I told you.' 

Daniel nodded thoughtfully. 'Okay, it's not that important. But I'm intrigued. You and this Skinner, you two were lovers before all this happened, right?' 

'No,' Mulder said miserably, shaking his head, all trace of his watery smile immediately gone. 'Not at all.' 

Between threatened tears and gentle prompts from Daniel, Mulder found himself to be telling the whole sorry story. He was shocked by how glibly the words just fell from his lips, but Daniel only watched him with a steadfast gaze and an equally steady hand which repeatedly filled and re-filled Mulder's glass until the last part of the story tumbled out in a drink befuddled daze. 

'So God only knows what I'm gonna do next,' Mulder slurred. His chin had dropped to his chest and he swayed slightly on his stool. He was tired now. It had taken a big effort to finally confide in someone and all he wanted to do now was go home to bed. 

Daniel sat quietly, deep in thought for a few moments, then he shook Mulder's arm. Mulder looked up half-heartedly and propped his chin on his hand. 

'Hey, instead of sitting here all depressed,' Daniel whispered, 'd'ya wanna test my theory?' he grinned enticingly, flicking his dark hair out of his eyes. There was a dangerous glitter in their black icy depths, but Mulder either didn't see it or chose to ignore it. 

'What theory? What do you mean?' 

'About the big guy, Skinner.' He leaned in closer, whispering. 'I didn't tell you before but he's still here, y'know. He didn't buy my story about me not knowing where you were. He snuck in the back ten minutes after he left the front way and he's been watching us the whole time ever since.' 

Startled by this sobering revelation, Mulder, instantly alert now, scanned the room anxiously but couldn't see Skinner anywhere. God help him if he'd been overheard in what he'd confided to Daniel, especially as he'd confessed about working under cover. He opened his mouth to speak but Daniel placed a warning finger to his lips. 

'Shh,' he whispered. 'Just come with me.' He jumped off his stool, landing neatly on his feet like a cat, and as he headed for the exit Mulder meekly trailed behind. 

Seconds later, keeping in the shadows, Skinner followed. 

* * *

The club was in virtual darkness as Skinner slipped silently up the rear stairwell and entered the deserted surveillance booth. He pressed a few switches on the various pieces of equipment, and as the machinery whirred into life he shrugged off his wet raincoat and settled into one of the vacant chairs, leaning back to take in a wide view of the bank of flickering monitors before him. 

Minutes later he sucked in a deep breath as one of the monitors revealed a rain-soaked and bedraggled-looking Mulder nervously entering one of the rooms. Daniel appeared seconds later, and in one swift movement he had kicked the door shut behind them, roughly pushed Mulder up against the wall and begun to kiss him passionately. 

Although taken by surprise at the speed of the other man's advances, Mulder found himself responding hungrily as he was engaged in a very full and sensual kiss. He felt Daniel's hand groping between his legs, pressing against the hard mound at his crotch and he involuntarily clamped his legs together. 'Daniel?' He laughed uncertainly as they broke apart, rubbing the back of his hand over his mouth. 'Danny Boy, whatcha doing to me?' 

The slurred speech and unsteady movements made it obvious to Skinner that Mulder had had far too much to drink. He watched, frowning and agitated, as Daniel's eager hands pushed up the wet material of Mulder's grey cotton T-shirt, baring his smooth chest. The room was dimly lit and bathed in shadows, but he could still clearly see Daniel's nimble fingers delicately teasing Mulder's nipples and his straining ears heard Mulder's deep gratified moans. He watched intently as their lips met again and Daniel's tongue probed Mulder's mouth, hot and wet. He realised he was holding his breath and exhaled slowly, only dimly aware of the hardness growing between his own legs and rubbing at his crotch absent-mindedly. Daniel dragged Mulder's wet shirt up over his head, lingering to tease his taut nipples once more before deftly unbuckling his belt and sliding his jeans down over his thighs. He fell to his knees then and covered Mulder's straining cock with his mouth, licking and sucking noisily, and Mulder leaned back, bracing himself against the wall. He stretched his head upwards, eyes closed, groaning with pleasure. 

As he watched closely on the monitor Skinner couldn't deny his own excitement. The growing heat between his legs disturbed him as he'd so far justified all of his actions by telling himself he was simply ensuring Mulder's safety. After all, for all he knew Daniel could be the killer. He didn't even attempt to justify his next move though. Beside the control panel in front of him stood a leaning stack of video tapes which O'Connell had obviously prepared for the following day and without even a second's pause to question why, Skinner slipped a tape into the machine and flicked the record button. As he watched the screen, his breath ragged and erection growing, a familiar emotion was slashing at his heart, something painful and ripe and no longer as slyly evasive as it had previously been. He mewed somewhere deep in the base of his throat as he watched Daniel sliding up over Mulder's arched body, tonguing his way up over his taut belly and back down again to the pulsing heat of his cock. Unable to resist he pressed his hand to his own erection which was now straining hard against the material of his pants. He groaned and began to rub himself before pulling down his zipper and fumbling for the engorged flesh inside. Although appalled by his response to the pictures on the flickering monitor he nevertheless squirmed helplessly as he squeezed his cock which was hard and unyielding in his sweaty grip. 

Thanking God that he still had one good hand to jack off with, Skinner closed his eyes as he leaned back, spreading his legs and sweeping his hand slowly up and down his hard shaft. He shamefully thought of how good it would be to ram his cock right up Mulder's sweet ass and he groaned, the indignity of his runaway thoughts suddenly sending a jolt right through him as his fingers curled tightly around his erection. 

'God I hate you for this Mulder,' he moaned under his breath. 

Do you really hate Mulder? he asked himself. Really? Why do you? 

Why? Because he raped me of course. Except that it isn't true. I don't hate Mulder. 

But you're angry with him for raping you? 

No. 

Then why are you angry with him? Is it because Mulder had wanted Brace to fuck him? 

Yes. 

Then you're jealous. 

Yes. Yes, yes, oh God yes. 

His hand became a blurred flurry in the darkness as his heart accepted the bitter truth of a jealousy he'd lived for so long but always viciously denied. The writhing figures on the monitor faded as he was swept away on an irresistible tide of lust and shame and Mulder, Mulder, beautiful Mulder: Mulder on his knees being fucked, me, my cock up his ass, in his mouth, fucking him. I'm fucking Mulder ... oh, Mulder, Mulder ... 

* * *

One floor below, Daniel was looking teasingly up at Mulder's flushed face. 'Want me to tie you up?' he whispered. He stood up and pulled Mulder into a tight embrace, pressing his mouth very close to Mulder's ear. 'Want me to tie you up and fuck you? I guarantee the old guy's watchin' us. Let's give him a show worth watching and really piss him off.' 

After a moment's hesitation, Mulder nodded his agreement. His jeans and boxer shorts were still pooled around his knees and he shuffled over to the bed and sat down, lifting his feet one at a time in order to pull off his shoes and socks. He looked around the shadowy room, peering over his shoulder and noticing for the first time the cuffs and chains hanging from various points on the high iron bedstead. He then glanced up at the ceiling, searching for the hidden camera he knew was there, almost relieved when he couldn't see it. Although he was extremely aroused and his cock was so hard it was actually throbbing, he was beginning to feel increasingly uncomfortable about being here. He deeply regretted telling Daniel about Brace, and what on earth had possessed him to mention the investigation? Skinner would just kill him if he found out. This had been his chance to prove something to Skinner. Exactly what it was he was trying to prove he didn't know, but he felt it all melting out of his grasp. At the thought of Skinner possibly watching him now he felt a wave of nausea strike him and he put his hand up to his mouth to try to stifle it. 

'I feel a bit sick,' he confessed to Daniel through his fingers. 'I don't normally drink this much, in fact I don't normally drink at all. Jesus, what the hell am I doing?' 

'What you're doing is getting your kit off so that I can fuck that delicious ass of yours,' Daniel reminded him. 'Come on, man, I'm gonna fuck you 'til you scream for mercy.' 

'Daniel...' 

'Hey, c'mon, don't back out now,' Daniel called over his shoulder as he closed the blinds at the window. 'You're gonna get the best fuck of your life. There's nothing to worry about?' 

Reluctantly, Mulder removed the rest of his clothing then crawled onto the bed on his hands and knees. 'No,' Daniel hissed urgently as he neared the bed. 'Flip over. I want him to see your face.' Mulder hesitated, then obediently turned over and lay back. He was shivering a little in the coolness of the room, his hair still damp from the dash through the lashing rain outside. 

'Daniel,' he said doubtfully, pushing himself up onto his elbows. 'Look, I - I'm really not sure about this. I think I'd better go home.' 

'Shh, it's okay, lie down,' Daniel urged, gently smoothing his warm hands over Mulder's shoulders and pushing him backwards down onto the bed. Bending forward he ran the tip of his moist tongue over Mulder's lower lip, then nipped him gently. 'Tell me,' he whispered, nuzzling softly at Mulder's ear. 'What did that Brace guy do to you to make you so nervous? Was it really that bad?' 

'Huh?' 

'Brace. The guy who raped you. How did he do it? Was he rough? Did he hurt you? Or did he think he was making love to you?' 

Mulder almost choked as he tried to speak. He attempted to sit up but Daniel again pushed him firmly back down onto the mattress. 

'Daniel, I - I don't really want to talk about it.' 

'Sure you do. It'll help you. C'mon baby, you can tell me. What's the matter?' He bent his head down to Mulder's chest, his hot wet tongue swirling over the smooth skin, teasing the little nipples into hard points between his teeth. Mulder gasped, involuntarily thrusting his hips upward, making Daniel smile as he took Mulder's throbbing erection in his hand and began to slide his fist lazily up and down its impressive length. 'Did he rape you the one time, or more than once?' he pressed. 'Tell me.' 

'It was more than once,' Mulder gasped. Daniel's hand was so skilful, and oh, he was so hard. 

'What was it like then, the first time? Tell me baby.' 

'I don't want to.' 

'Tell me! It can't have been that bad.' 

'Daniel, it was, it was awful. It really hurt.' He stopped abruptly. It was difficult to speak with that slow maddening hand sweeping slowly up and down his cock. He strained against it, desperate for more. 'I'd never... ohhhh, God, Daniel ... ' 

'Never what?' Daniel pressed. 

'Never done anything like that before. Had...you know.' 

'Anal sex?' 

'Yeah.' Mulder groaned in disappointment as Daniel's hand released him. 'It hurt like hell. At first anyway.' 

'Didn't you like it?' Daniel's bright eyes were watching his face carefully, almost gleefully. 

'No, of course not. It was like being tortured. The pain was unbearable. I was all tensed up so it took ages for him to penetrate me. It was the worst pain I'd ever known. Plus he made my partner watch us, I was humiliated.' 

'So you didn't like it at all. Not one tiny bit?' 

Mulder hesitated. 'Well,' he continued reluctantly, 'after a while it gradually stopped hurting so much and eventually it started to feel good. I hated him for it.' 

'I bet it made your dick hard, yeah?' 

Mulder nodded. 

'Yeah I bet it did, and even though you were being raped, even though you'd never had a cock in your ass before, I bet you came, right?' 

Again Mulder nodded. 

'So what about the next time, when he came back. Did he hurt you then?' 

Mulder shook his head. 'No.' 

'You enjoyed it that time though, didn't ya? You wanted his cock slammin' up your hole? C'mon man, admit it!' 

Mulder looked away. He bit his lip then said quietly, 'Yes, I wanted it. I practically begged him to fuck me. It was sick. The whole thing was sick.' 

'But you can't stop thinking about it? You dream about it, don't you? You jerk off wishing he were fucking you. You let other men fuck you, wishing it was him?' 

Mulder nodded, his face averted, his cheeks crimson with shame. 

'Want me to be him now?' Daniel breathed. His lips were almost touching Mulder's cheek, his breath warm and spicy. 'You can pretend I'm him, fucking you.' 

After a moment's hesitation, Mulder again nodded. 'I liked it when he called me baby,' he confessed in an ashamed whisper. 

'Okay my baby,' Daniel crooned. 'Gonna take care of you, my little boy.' He withdrew a black velvet blindfold from the drawer in the little bedside table and slid it carefully over Mulder's eyes. 'You okay with that baby?' he questioned, fastening the Velcro behind Mulder's head. Mulder nodded, surprised at how excited he was by this new kink in the proceedings. The blindfold made it easier to pretend he was with Brace. He still felt uncomfortable lying on his back though. He'd much rather turn over and kneel up on all fours. He tried to relax as he felt Daniel's fingertips sliding over his tensed chest and shoulders then raised his arms above his head when Daniel instructed him to. Two clicks and he felt his wrists encased in steel. Allowing Daniel to cuff his wrists and secure them to the bedstead, he felt the muscles in his shoulders stretch uncomfortably as Daniel yanked on the chains but when he protested it only seemed to provoke Daniel into pulling them even tighter. 

'Ow, that hurts.' 

'Stop complaining.' Daniel finished buckling the tight leather cuffs, then he quickly restrained Mulder's ankles in a similar fashion. 

'Daniel?' Mulder called out in alarm as his legs were suddenly jerked apart. 'I'm not so sure about this. I don't want to be like this. I'd rather go face down, on my knees.' A sharp memory brought a bitter gall to his mouth: Brace brutally raping him as he lay similarly imprisoned on his back on Scully's bed. Scully had watched, he thought anxiously, she had had to watch him rape me. Is Skinner watching me now? Watching me as I lie on my back with my legs spread and my cock and ass on display. 

'Daniel, please. I'd rather go face down. I don't really like it like this.' 

Grinning wickedly, Daniel placed his mouth next to Mulder's ear. 'Wanna know what's gonna happen Mr FBI man? Huh? You wanna know?' His voice seemed to have dropped an octave and there was a grind to it that Mulder no longer liked. 

'What?' Mulder suddenly felt panicky, his throat seeming to constrict making it difficult for him to breathe. Something wasn't right. Where was the humorous affable Daniel? The genial companion who'd made him laugh not more than a couple of hours ago. 

'We're gonna fucking kill the bastard,' he breathed. 

'What? Who? What do you mean?' 

'The old guy, Skinner. I'm gonna kill him. We can both screw him and then kill him and carve the fucker up.' 

Mulder pulled sharply on the cuffs in alarm. 'That isn't funny, Daniel,' he warned. 'I-I don't like it, let me go.' 

'It isn't supposed to be funny, shithead.' 

Mulder felt a darkness rise within him and threaten to swallow him whole and for a moment he felt as if he was going to black out. He forced himself to breathe evenly. 'Daniel, would you please let me go?' he said much more calmly than he felt. 'Please. You're scaring me.' 

Daniel's eyes narrowed to black-flint slits in his flushed face, and he sat back on his haunches, studying Mulder's frightened expression. 'Scaring ya, huh?' he scorned, flicking back his damp hair. He slid his hand between Mulder's open thighs and grasped his rapidly softening penis. 'Judging by the state of this thing I guess you're gonna say you don't want me to fuck you now either.' 

Mulder swallowed hard. 'I - I've changed my mind,' he stuttered. 'I just want to go, Daniel. Please let me go.' 

'Oh no, you don't get off that easy.' Daniel increased the pressure on Mulder's penis, squeezing hard almost to the point of pain. 'What are you anyway, some kind of prick-teaser?' 

'No! I-I've just changed my mind. Please let me go.' In a panic, Mulder began to wrench at the cuffs and chains, rattling them noisily against the bedstead. 

The noise made Skinner open his eyes and look at the screen. Realising he'd been on the verge of dozing off, he gradually re-focussed, pushing himself up a bit in the chair. His heels were still up on the desktop, his come-filled hand still cradled in his lap, and he now sat up, reaching for his handkerchief and blotting awkwardly at the sticky mess. As he did so he glanced at the monitor and what he then saw shocked him. It seemed the game had progressed a lot further, for Mulder was trussed up and blindfolded, and Daniel, moving in swiftly, quick and dark like a panther, was slapping him hard across the face. Mulder was struggling against the bonds which held him, kicking out with his heels and wrenching at the leather cuffs. 

'Stop it,' Daniel yelled angrily. 'Just keep fucking still.' He lashed out with yet another a vicious strike. Mulder's head rocked and he immediately stopped kicking. He lay stunned and defeated, blood oozing from his nose and his cheek grazed and reddened. 

Although Mulder's face was partially obscured by the soft black stuff of the blindfold, Skinner could clearly see the crimson imprint of a hand on his right cheek. A thin line of blood trickled slowly from his nostril before pooling at the corner of his mouth. Skinner stared at the screen, horrified, scrutinising the monitor carefully as Mulder's head lolled. Jesus, was this how Mulder got his kicks nowadays? By getting someone to abuse him so he could relive the whole sordid Brace episode? He leaned towards the monitor, the flickering light illuminating the deep frown lines in his forehead. 

The shock of the blow had been enough to quieten Mulder and he lay limp and barely flinching as Daniel pulled another length of black material from under the pillow, gagging him with it, and looping it tightly around his throat before fanning out the loose ends over the pillow either side of his face. 

'Don't do that again,' Daniel warned, wagging his finger in Mulder's blind face. He stood up and fumbled for something in the nightstand drawer, then was back, perching on the edge of the bed. 'What you need is a good fucking,' he scolded. He traced the tip of his finger slowly down the curve of Mulder's chest, grinning to feel the anxious fluttering of the heart within its luxuriously smooth skin. His fingers continued their descent, down over the tensed belly and trailing through tight dark curls. Dipping his hand suddenly he grasped Mulder's left buttock and squeezed hard. 'Spread your legs wider,' he commanded. Mulder was panting, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he fought between the pleasure, the pain and dark panic in his head. 

'C'mon, c'mon, don't take all day.' 

Slowly Mulder stretched his thighs further apart, flinching when the other man began to slide a thick squirt of lubricant in and around his anus. 

'Yep,' exclaimed Daniel cheerfully. 'A good hard fucking is what you need. Then you might come around to my way of thinking, Mr FBI.' 

Watching breathlessly from the surveillance booth, Skinner felt at once both repulsed and enthralled by the scene which was unfolding before his eyes. He'd been shocked when Daniel had struck Mulder for the first time, but although it was hard for him to admit, he nevertheless found he actually enjoyed seeing Mulder hurt and almost wanted him to feel pain. Another part of him though, was appalled that he should be sitting here, observing one man assaulting another and doing absolutely nothing to stop it. 'He's probably all just an act,' Skinner wrongly assumed, 'but it's sick all the same. And I'm sick for watching it.' 

Nevertheless he continued to watch as Mulder pulled weakly on the tight cuffs. He was too tightly bound though, and could only squirm uncomfortably as Daniel's hard slippery fingers forced the lubricant deep inside him. Skinner heard muffled protests coming from behind the gag, though was still convinced that this was surely all part of the game between the two men. 

On the monitor he saw Daniel looming over a shrinking Mulder, again leaning to whisper something in his ear but Mulder shook his head fervently, clearly distressed. Skinner strained to make out what Daniel was saying, disappointed when it proved impossible to hear. When Mulder again frantically shook his head, Daniel slapped him so hard across the cheek that the sound of the blow cracked like a pistol shot. 

'Okay, okay. That's enough. Don't be so rough with him. Just fuck him already.' 

Where the hell did that voice come from? Skinner sat upright, staring at the monitor intently. There was someone else in there, another man. A shadow loomed briefly and he could see the dark outline of a head and well-defined shoulders before the figure faded into the darkness once more. 

Daniel grinned down at Mulder's confused expression. 'Okay, you heard what the man said,' he sneered. As he spoke he quickly unbuckled his own belt and swiftly removed his jeans. He ripped open a condom packet with his teeth and within seconds had expertly slid the sheath over his erection. He clambered onto the bed, gripping Mulder's calves and roughly forcing his legs even further apart. Mulder again tried to kick, but his ankles were firmly cuffed and he only succeeded in rattling the chains. Skinner heard his muffled cries behind the gag as he attempted to force Daniel off before Daniel once again slapped him hard. 

'Do you want me to hurt you?' Daniel threatened. 'Really hurt you? No? Well keep still then.' He quickly covered Mulder's body with his own and entered him savagely, within seconds striking up a relentless battering rhythm and ignoring Mulder's anguished cries. 

It finally dawned on Skinner that this was no game. Listening to Mulder's agonized grunting sobs echoing clearly over the sound system of the tiny surveillance booth he realised with a crashing sense of horror that in no way was Mulder a willing participant; he was actually the victim of a brutal rape. Yet Skinner still continued to watch, hating himself for it yet unable to drag his eyes away. His good hand went to his mouth and he bit his knuckles, stifling a moan as he relived the horror of his own rape. 

As he heard Mulder's muffled howl as Daniel's teeth buried themselves into his neck, Skinner felt tears streaking down his face. He paid them no heed, instead watching as Daniel's body powerfully drove itself forward again and again before gripping Mulder's shoulders fiercely and laughing down into his face as he rammed into his ass in deeper and deeper, his body shuddering at the power of his orgasm. He slumped down onto the arch of Mulder's rigid body, still thrusting brutally, determined to rid himself of every drop of semen and force it deep inside the hot slick hole of the tortured man beneath him. He licked his lips, and tasting blood looked down to see he'd bitten Mulder's neck rather harder than he thought. There was a ragged wound there, which now wept dark tears of blood. 

Skinner watched in agony as Daniel extricated himself, quickly slid off the bed and reached down onto the floor for his crumpled clothes before disappearing from the monitor into the shadows without a word. A slice of light spilled onto the floor and seconds later came the sound of running water. Skinner sat still, and as he studied Mulder's prone form he could see his chest rapidly rising and falling in time with his own shallow breathing. Mulder briefly tried to free himself from the cuffs, but the chains rattled noisily and he immediately fell still. The blindfold had slipped and his eyes, huge with fear, constantly searched the shadows. Skinner could hear him whimpering quietly behind the gag. He sounded so much like a child lost and afraid in the dark that it tore Skinner's heart in two. 

Minutes passed and Skinner still continued to sit. He heard a muffled whispering from the shadows, then Daniel was back, taunting and jeering. This time he spoke loudly and his voice rang out clearly in the tiny surveillance booth. 

'So, d'ya think he was watching, baby? D'ya think he was watching us fuck? Huh?' Mulder flinched as Daniel's hand neared his face but the young Irishman merely eased back his captive's damp fringe where it clung to his sweat-soaked forehead. Whilst he did so he muttered words of comfort, his voice smooth and soothing, as if he were calming a child after a nightmare, but the words chilled Skinner's soul. 'Did ya think Mr high and mighty Skinner was gonna charge in and save you, Fox?' Daniel went on. 'Or do you think he watched the whole damn thing and did nothing?' 

Skinner felt his skin crawling as stared at the screen in horror. 

'Where is he then?' Daniel jeered. 'Doesn't he care? And I thought he so liked you. How wrong could I have been?' A hard hand once more slapped into Mulder's face. He blinked hard, his eyes smarting. He tried in vain to squirm away, but the next blow, a vicious strike to his left temple, almost knocked him out. 

'Hey! I thought I told you to go easy,' a voice complained out of the darkness. 

Daniel turned. 'I'm sorry,' he said quickly. 'I tend to get a little carried away.' He stepped back from the bed and turned to face the shadow man. 

'It's okay, I understand,' came the voice again. 'Believe me I do. One last task, Daniel, okay? Then the money's yours.' 

Daniel nodded, then turned and swiftly left the room. Skinner sat mesmerised. He definitely knew that voice. His mind fumbled for it, exasperated as it hovered infuriatingly just out of reach. 

But then he was given the answer. 

He stared in shock at the monitor as the second man moved into full view. His slack mouth and staring eyes betrayed his horror as he watched the man perch on the bed beside Mulder, reach out and gently caress his cheek before grasped the gag and pulling it free. Skinner saw Mulder shudder as if a snake had just slithered over his face. 

'Get off me, you bastard,' he hissed. 

The man threw back his head and laughed. 'I don't think you're in any position to tell me what to do, Fox, do you?' 

At that moment Skinner was still staring at the screen open-mouthed, his heart racing, so that when the door behind him was flung open he cried out in horror. He whirled in his seat to face the cavernous black eye of a large-barrelled shotgun. 

'Surprise!' 

Daniel smiled serenely at Skinner from behind the gun. 'Hello again Mr Skinner,' he drawled. 'Been enjoying the show? Stand up slowly and turn to face me please. Hands up now.' 

Skinner swallowed hard knowing his face was crimson. 'Let's just take it easy,' he said carefully, raising his hands and moving slowly up out of his chair. 

'Oh, there's no time for that,' Daniel laughed. He jerked the gun at Skinner, signalling for him to move towards the door. 'Move it, old man. It's fun time for you!' 

Frowning, Skinner's gaze jerked towards the monitor then back to Daniel and he shuddered to see a poisonous gleam in the black icy depths of the younger man's eyes. 'What do you mean?' he demanded. 

'Oh you'll find out. Come on, move it. Downstairs, now!' 

Skinner ground his teeth angrily but remained silent. As he moved through the open door and into the dark stairwell he heard Daniel's voice grinding on behind him. 

'You'd like to screw Mulder, wouldn't you? I can guess by the way you look at him when you think no-one else is watching. You like to fantasise about him, don'tcha? Maybe pull on your dick while you dream about shoving it up his pretty little ass? And don't tell me your dick wasn't hard when you were watching us fuck just now.' 

'You're sick.' 

Daniel laughed. 'I'm right though, aren't I? You saw the whole damn thing and enjoyed it too, I bet. Think it served him right, did ya?' 

Skinner remained silent and stony-faced, inwardly seething and vowing to get his revenge. 

At the bottom of the flight of stairs a slice of light spilled out onto the corridor through the half open doorway and as Skinner was shepherded through it he came face to face with the man from the shadows. 

A new nightmare was about to begin. 

* * *

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